Signal system for electric cars.



' Patented Jan.15,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. M. JONES. SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC CARS. APPLICATION FILED AU.G.2I EEW SS.

E. M. JONES. SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

APPucAndN :HLED AUG-2h 1913.

Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

. 4W @E W a Ten era PAT @FlEUlGE ELMER, M. JONES, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO. JONES SIGNAL SYSTEM COM- PANY, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

SIGNAL" svsrnivr ronnrinc'rnro cans.

To (LZZZUILOWL it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER M. Jones a citizen of the United States, residing at At lanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Signal Systems for Electric Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. it?

The object of this invention is to provide an effective system of automatic signals-and carcontrol for electric railroads employing atrolley or third rail. To this end I have provided at various points along the track- Way, danger slgnals normally energized by a connectlon from the trolley wire or third lilll,"2l1ll I provide meansoperated by-the vehicle on the trackway as it approaches a danger indication to open the line from the trolley thereto and establish a circuit through a safety signal whenever the block ahead is clear, but to leave the signal at,

danger when the block is occupied; 1 provide an impulse relay operated by an entering car and requiring a counteracting actuation by a leaving car before thesignal can show clear. The result is that if a car enters a block it must leave it before thefollowing car can receive a clear signal.

I provide further an automatic stopping device adapted to act on a suitable controlling member on the vehicle. This stopping device comprises a stationary ramp to in variably initiate a danger application on the vehicle, and a movable ramp adapted to counteract such initiationbefore it becomes effective. The same mechanism which-disconnects the track danger signal and con.

safety position. This ramp then remains in thispositionso long as the operator holds hiskey under constrainti. This key-operation, however, nal, so that it: remains set at danger.

To. fully protect the blockintorwhich carsare admitted by a key, I arrange the impulse relay to receive acc m lative actuis also continuous,as usual.

mechanism controlled by a key for throwing and holdin g the resettlng ramp in does not affect the track 'sig- Specification of Letters Patent, I Patagntefl Jan, 115, 19118, Application filed August 21, 1913. Serial No. 785,974. i

as applied Ilsa diagramwhich is supposed to be connected at its lefthand end with the right hand end of Fig. 1, this diagram illustrating signals, circuits andcontrolling devices of several blocks; Fig. Sis a sectional side elevation of a retarding device for prolonging a clear indication togive the vehicle time to move pastthe automatic stop and signal.

Referring toFigs. l and 2, 10 indicates the rails oit-a trackway. This may be con sidered as sub-divided into blocks defined by-the location of the danger signals and stopping devices hereinafter mentioned. I have shown five blocks of different lengths,

namelyt A, B,C, D, E. In block A, a vehi cle has passed the signal. moving in the directionof the arrow; in block D, the vehicle has not ehed the signal. Block B is unoccupied and shows the parts in normal posi tion. A break is shown at the block C, to indicate that any desired extent of track way may be between the blocks 13 and D.

My signal system is independent of the rails, and the lattermay be continuous and provide the return circuit for the trolley current. 11 indicates the trolley wire, which 12 indicates suitable vehicles traveling from left to right on the trackway and coacting with the trolley wire. It is tobe understood that the terms trolley wire and trolley pole are used to include alsoa third rail and for.

Adjacent xto the beginning'of the block, a

wire 15 leads from the trolley wire via'a .llne 25, through the normally closed switch 26 to the line 27, to the line 19, and thence ti -double track elec having trolley poles anycontacting device there through a dangersignal 20 to the ground at 21. The danger signal may conveniently consist of a series of red lamps arranged in a horizontal row, or any other suitable signal desired. From a point on the conductor 15, a line 16 leads through a normally open switch 17, (closed in F ig. 1, because the block is occupied) to the line 18, which joins the line 19. Accordingly, the switches 17 and 26 are in multiple, and, if either is closed, the red lights 20 are energized and indicate danger.

Adjacent to the danger signal is a safety signal 30. This may consist of a series of white lights arranged preferably in an inclined row. These white lights are on a shunt (indicated by a broken line) about the red lights and one of the red light switches; that is to say, a line 32 leaves the line 15 and passes through a switch 33, normally open, to the line 31, and thence to the switch 35, normally closed (open in Fig. 1 because the block is occupied) to the line 36 and through the white lights to the ground. The two switches 33 and 35 being in series, both of them must be closed to give the safety signal.

The same mechanism, hereinafter described, which opens the normally closed switch 26, to extinguish the red lights, also closes the normally open switch 33, to illuminate the white lights. The mechanism which actuates these switches will now be described.

At stopping distance in advance of each signal point, that is, in advance of the beginning of the block,is a trolley contactor 40, in electric connection with the signal mechanism as explained below. This contactor consists of a suitable arm or member projecting into the path of the trolley wheel orpole, or other suitable part, and adapted to become electrically connected with the trolley wire as the car passes across the contactor. If metallic trolley poles conveying the current to the car are used, it is simply necessary to have a metallic arm adapted to be physically engaged by the trolley pole.

Leading from each contactor 40 is a line 41 which passes through a magnet 42 and thence via a line 43 to the ground, shown at 44. A shunt of this line leaves the wire 41 and passes via a wire 46 to the normally open switch 47 to a line 48 to a switch point 49. From the normally contacting switch point 50 a line 51 leads to the line 15 and back to the trolley wire 11.

Accordingly, when the car passes the contactor 40, it sends a portion of the trolley current through the magnet 42 to the ground. This energizes the magnet 42 and causes it to pull up on its armature 55. This armature is connected with the switches 47, 26 and 33 referred to (as, for example, by a bar 56) so that this energization of the mag- 'two multiple red. light switches.

net 42, among other things, closes the switch 47 This sends a portion of the trolley cur rent via lines 15, 51, switches50, 49, line 48, switch 47 and line 46 through the magnet 42 to the ground... Accordingly, the magnet 42maintains its armature attracted so long as the line just described remains closed at the switches 49 and 50.

The described movement of the armature 55 opens theswitch 26, which is one of the It also closes the switch 33, which is one of the two series white light switches. It also closes a switch 60, which may start the motor to raisethe movable ramp to safety position,

depending on conditions ahead. This operation of the motor mechanism will be described after I have explained its construction and the construction of the automatic stop.

The automatic stopping device is of the character shown, described and claimed in my prior application No. 628,832, tiled May 22,1911, and other applications heretofore filed by me. That is to say, it has a stationary ramp. 150, which is invariably engaged by a suitable controlling member on the car (6. g. a switch to turn of? the current or apply the brake, or both), andit hastwo bars 151 and constituting a movablev ramp, wh1ch when raised into a peak, are adapted to be engaged by inechanlsm 011 the vehicle to couniteract the mechanism thrown by the ramp 150 before it"has time to become ef fective. The normal position of the bars 151' and 152, is shown in full lines in Fig. 1, where they are in idle-position;

The mechanism forv raising'the movable ramp bars int o peaked or active position shown in dotted lines, comprises a motor 154, a large gear 155, intermediate gearing 156 connecting itwith the armature of the motor, a yoke arm 158 hung at the center of the wheel 155 and carryinga pinion 159 meshing with the gear 155, means for looking thepinion against rotation, and a link 161 connecting the arm 158 with'the rampbar 151. \Vhen the pinion is locked, a rotation of the motor-raises the arm 158, and through the link 161, raises the movable ramp. hen the pinion is free, rotation of the motor would simply rotate the pinion idly. To look the pinion, I mount rigidly on its shaft 163, a star wheel 160 which may be locked by a suitable pawl 1T 6 which isconnected with an arm 175 pivoted on the yoke 158. Against this arm 17 5, bears the toe 174 of a pivoted bell crank 172 which carries the armature fora magnet 168.

Accordingly, if this magnet 168 is energized, the pawl 176 locks the star wheel against rotation and then, an energization of the motor raises the arm 158 and the movable ramp. As the arm 158 comes into an approximately horizontal position, the

shoulder 185 of the pawl 181 forces back the catch 187v and rides above it, and then the pawl 17 6 abuts a stationary, adjustable stop 18.4.. This releases the star wheel and pinion and allows the'pawl 181 to move sufiiciently to breakthe motor circuit, normally closed, at 182, while the yoke arm 158 remains held by the catch 187. This catch, accordingly, holds the arm 158 elevated so long as the magnet 168 is energized. Whenever the magnet is deenergized, the pawl 181 isreleased and the parts drop back to normal danger position. I will now describe the electric connections which enable the energization of the magnet 168 and the motor 154:.

The source of current for the motor, is a battery 62. From this battery the line 63 leads to a' contact point, which is adapted to coact with, but is normally separated from the switch 60. From the switch 60, a line 6 1 leads to the switch 65. This switch is normally in contact with the terminal 68 of aline 66, which leads via the line 82 to the pawl 181, to the terminal 182 and thence via the line 83 to one terminal of the motor. From the other terminal a line 8 1 leads to the wire 70. The latch magnet 168 is in multiple with the motor circuit via the line 67 and 69.

Connected with the yoke arm 158 is a link 90, the lower end of which is connected to a rocking frame 91 pivoted at 92. This frame carries what I call the electromechanical relay, consisting of a magnet 93, an armature lever 65., a catch 95 for holding the armature lever, a lever 96 for swinging the catch lever, and a link 98 between the armature lever and the switches 35, and 17 Accordingly, when the motor raises the yoke arm 158, it tips the electro-mechanical relay, and in tipping the frame 91, it tips also a vat 100, pivot-ally supported at the top of the frame 91. This vat is of'the form shown in Fig. 3. It is divided into two compartments by a partition 101, through the lower part of which is a passageway 102. A quantity of mercury 103 is contained in the vat and normally stands as shown in Fig. 3. Upon tipping of the vat the mercury 103 begins to run through the opening 102 to the other side of the partition. The opening is small enough so that this takes an appreciable time and the mercury continues to so run after the frame 91 has been entirely tipped. As the mercury passes over to the left hand compartment, in Fig. 3, it gives a further tipping to the vat, and this causes the left hand lower portion of the vat to press down on the switch lever 19 and separate it from the 7 terminal 50 and to press down on the lever 96 so that the catch is withdrawn from the armature 65. 1

When the action described takes place,

the mechanical support for the armature lever 65 is removed and (the magnet 93 being deenergized), the armature drops and immediately the white light circuit is broken at: 35 and the red ight circuit closed at 17 and, at the same time, the opening of the switch 519 and 50 breaks the circuit from the trolley through the magnet 12, so that this magnet, losing its energization, drops its armature 55. This opens the other white light contact 33 and closes the red light contact 26 also opens the switch 60, which deenergizes the magnet 168 and unlocks the pawl 181, wherefore the catch 187 drops the supported yoke 158. lVhen the yoke arm drops, the frame 91 drops to normal position, and this throws the mercury vatback so that the mercury runs into the right hand compartment and returns the vat to its normal position as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the parts all return to danger indication.

It will be seen from the above that the 111-- dications are normally at danger; that, when a trolley contacts with the trolley contactor, the parts may all go to safety and thereafter, after an appreciable interval, automatically return to danger. During this interval the train or vehicle is supposed to have passed the ramps and signals. lVhether the signal and stop go to safety upon the engagement of the trolley contactor, is dependent upon the magnet 93, and this magnet is controlled by an impulse relay or register, which is controlled by vehicles entering and leaving the block. 1 will now describe this relay.

The impulse relay consists of two disks and 11.1 mounted side by side on the same shaft, and each having a contact point which may engage the other, and does so engage, when the block is clear. Each disk is provided with ratchet teeth, and they are operated in the same direction by different means. That is to way, the ratchet wheel 111 is fed one tooth in the right hand direction every time a car enters the block, and thus registers the number of cars entering, because the magnet 4-2 is energized and decnergized, and by means of a pawl 112 on the projecting end of the lever and a spring 113, tending to raise such end, operates the ratchet wheel. Similarly, the disk 110 is fed in the right hand direction, one tooth, every time a car leaves the block, and thus registers the number of cars leaving, by means of the pawl 115, on the armature lever 116, of the magnet 117 and a spring 11 1 tending to retract the armature lever. This magnet has one terminal connected to the ground via the line 118 and the other terminal connected with the line 119 lead ing along the block to a trolley contactor 40* located stopping distance beyond the entrance to the next block.

From the construction described, it re tooth relatively to the disk 110. W hen a car leaves the block, the disk is advanced 1 one tooth to the right, thus restoring the disks to their original relative position (though the absolute position of the two is advanced one tooth). Now, in. the original relative position, the contact point on the disk 111, which is connected via the line 121 with the ground, engages the conact point 121connected with the line 122. This line 122 has a mo "able terminal adapted to coact with a switch 123 linked to the ari'nature lever 116 and forming the terminal of a line 12%, leading from the mag net 93. The other line 125 of this magnet leads back to the main line 15 from the trolley. After an actuation of the magnet 117, the switch 123 remains in contact with the point of the line 122 until after the pawl 115 has turned the disk 110.

It thus results that the magnet 93 is normally dee'nergized by reason of the switch 123 being open; that so long as it is deenergized, the parts will remain at danger position, but that, whenever the magnet 11? has been energized as many times as the magnet 42 the disks 110 and 111 will be restored to their original relative position, and the last actuation of the magnet 117 will close the circuit at the contacts 120, 121 so that a following train operating contactor -10 may obtain a clear signal.

It is sometimes necessary to allow cars to pass into a block against which the danger s gnal is set. To allow this, I provide a switch lever adapted to coact with lines 131 and 132 from the lines 64: and 66 and thus close the circuit through the motor and latch magnet to enable the automatic stop to goto safety position. This lever 130 is under the control of a key inserted in the lock 135 to release a latch not shown and is designed to be operated by the turning of the key to the left, to raise the right end of the lever. So long as the operator holds the key in the lock and holds it constrained toward the left, thus holding the lever up the automatic stop is held at safety position, irrespective of danger indications. and the car may run into the protected block. This does not change the signals however, and they remain set at danger. under the control of the impulse relay. Thus, if five cars were admitted by a key to a block, the impulse relay would be moved five steps by the entering cars and it would be necessary to have the five counteracting steps moved by five'cars leaving the block before a clear signal could be shown. If desired. the key may be arranged to register the number of the conductor by whom it is inserted.

Having thus described my invention what Iclaim is: a

1. In an electric signal system, the combination of' a normal danger signal, means whereby a vehicle or train may clear said signal if the track ahead is clear, and means whereby a clear signal automatically returns to danger after the lapse of a predetermined time.

2. In an electric signal system, the combination of a normal danger signal, means whereby a train or vehicle may clear such signal. in front of it, and means whereby each indication remains clear for a sufficient time to allow the vehicle or train to pass and then automatically goes to danger.

3. In an electric signal system,the combination of a danger signal energized by the power circuit of the railway, a safety signal, means whereby a train or vehicle may cause a change from a. danger indication to a safety indicatiomand means whereby such safety indication remains set for a sufficient time to allow the vehicle or train to pass and then automatically changes to danger. a

In an electric signal system, the combination of a normal danger signal, means whereby a Vehicle or train may clear said signal if the track ahead is clear, and means whereb a clear si nal automaticall re following vehicle or train to clear the signal.

5. The combination with an electric railway, of a normal danger signal energized .by the power circuit of the railway, means for automatically clearing said signal, an automatic stopping device normally in stops ping position but moved to safety when the signal goes to safety, and means controlling said signal and stopping device to cause them to return to danger position after a predetermined lapse of time.

6. The combination with an electric railway, of a danger signal normally energized by the power circuit of the railway, a safety signal, means for automatically changing from one signal to the otheraccording to track conditions, an automatic stopping device normally in stoppingposition but automatically moved to safety when the danger signal goes to safety, and means for returning the signal to danger position after a predetermined lapse of time. 7

7. The combination with an electric railway, a danger signal, a normally closed cir cuit energizing the same, and connected with the power-circuit of the railway, a safety signal, a normally open circuit thereeaaeaa for, means for automatically closing the circuit of the safety signal and opening the circuit of the danger signal, an invariably active automatic stop and mechanism for counteracting the effect of the same when the safety signal is displayed.

8. The combination with an electric railway, of a trolley-controlled danger signal, a safety signal, means for automatically closing the circuit of the safety and opening the circuit of the danger signal, an invariably active automatic stop and mechanism for counteracting the effect of the same when the safety signal is displayed, and. means for clearing the automatic stop without clearing the signal.

9. The combination of a normal danger signal, an automatic stop, mechanism for clearing the same concin'rently, and keylocked mechanism independent of the normal operation of the danger signal manually operable from the trackway for clearing the automatic stop without clearing the signal.

10. In an electric signal system, the combination with a danger signal, of a circuit for normally energizing the same, a magnet, means operated by a vehicle or train leaving the block to momentarily energize the magnet, a connection between the armature of the magnet and a switch in the circuit of the danger signal whereby the energization of the magnet opens said switch, means for holding the switch open after the momentary energization of the magnet, and means operating to release said armature at a predetermined time interval after the momentary energization of the magnet.

11. In an electric signal system, the combination of a normal danger signal, a safety signal, a magnet, means operated by a vehicle or train leaving the block to momentarily energize the magnet,a connection between the armature of the magnet and switches in the circuits of the signals whereby the energization of the magnet opens the switch in the danger circuit and closes the switch in the safety circuit, means for holding the switches in this position after the momentary energization of the magnet, and means operating at a time interval after the momentary energization of the magnet for releasing said armature.

12. In an electric signal system, the combination of a magnet, means for momentarily energizing the same, means for holding the armature in closed position following such energization, means operating a time interval after the momentary energization of the magnet to release the armature, a danger signal and circuit, and a switch therefor controlled by the armature.

13. In an electric railway signal system, the combination of a danger signal, a circuit therefor having two parallel branches one of which is normally closed, a magnet,

means operated by a vehicle entering the block to energize saidmagnet, mechanism whereby said magnet may open the normally closed branch of the danger circuit, means operating after a time inter al to close both branches, a magnet energized by means of a vehicle leaving the block, means whereby such energization may open the other branch of the danger circuit, and an impulse relay controlled by trains entering and leaving the block and operating to control the last mentioned magnet.

14. In an electric railway signal system, the combination of a danger signal, a circuit therefor having two parallel branches controlled by two switches one of which is normally closed, a safety signal, a circuit therefor having two switches in series one of which is normally open, magnet, means operated by a vehicle entering the block to energize said magnet, mechanism whereby said magnet when energized opens the normally closed danger switch and closes the normally open safety switch, means automatically operating after a time interval to close both switches of the danger circuit and open both switches of the safety circuit, a magnet adapted to be energized by means of a vehicle leaving the block, means whereby such energization opens the now closed but normally open danger switch and closes the now open but normally closed safety switch, and an impulse relay controlled by trains entering and leaving the block and operating to control the last mentioned magnet.

15. In an electric signal system, the combination with an automatic stop normally in danger position, of means for registering the number of vehicles or trains entering the block, means for making a counteracting registration of those leaving the block, means for automatically throwing the stop to safety by a moving vehicle when the number of previous entering and leaving registrations is e ual and means for causin the stoa automatically to return to danger after the lapse of a predetermined time following the safety indication.

16. In an electric signal system, a normal danger signal, an automatic stop, a motor operating the stop, means whereby a vehicle or train may clear said signal and control the operation of the motor for actuating the stop, and means for resetting the stop after a time interval.

17. In an electric signal system, the combination of a normal danger signal, means whereby a vehicle or train may clear said signal, an automatic stop normally in danger position, means for moving said stop to safety position when said signal is cleared, means for resetting the stop, and means providing a time interval after the clearing of the signal and before its resetting.

18. In an electric signal system, 9, normal danger signal, an automatic stop, means whereby a vehicle or train may clear said signal and control the operation of the stop, means for registering the number 01 trains entering the block, means for counteractively registering the number of trains leaving the block. means preventing the clearing of said signal when the two registrations of previous trains are unequal, and means for caus- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

